The Dubliners - Originals (2005)

Originals provides an extensive sampling of the work of the Dubliners, including 41 tracks on three CDs. Since all of those tracks are performed before an enthusiastic live audience, the effect is rather like attending a couple of sets by the group in a raucous Irish pub. The varied song list includes some spirited instrumentals as well as lots of singalongs that find the bandmembers and their listeners vocalizing on such notable subjects as sailing, drinking, and having sex. A special favorite is the a cappella "Monto," which concerns a red light district in Dublin that, the audience is assured, is not to be found on tourist maps. Other Irish-specific themes include "The Sea Around Us," which celebrates Ireland's status as an island, particularly with regard to the sea that separates it from Great Britain, and the show's closer, "Nelson's Farewell," which chronicles the dynamiting of a statue of the hated British military commander. The Dubliners remind their listeners that the shows are being recorded and ask them to sing along "for God's sake!" They do, and they make this a lengthy and enjoyable trip to Dublin with the group named for the city. © William Ruhlmann